


Helping Your Cat Adjust to a New Home

by a_taller_tale



Series: RvB Rare Pair Week [1]
Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Discussion of Cats, F/M, Fluff, Rare Pairings, RvB Rare Pair Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-14
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-31 22:36:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10908846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_taller_tale/pseuds/a_taller_tale
Summary: "What's with the cat photos?" Two awkward discussions about cats and spoilers for S15E5.





	Helping Your Cat Adjust to a New Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tuckerfuckingdidit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tuckerfuckingdidit/gifts).



> Carwash for [@tuckerfuckingdidit](https://tmblr.co/mrVPB47EHkeTL6a1fEhvDkA).
> 
> Prompt from[ @crantzypants](https://tmblr.co/mEv1bz_dW66GQ-a6SZlY8hQ): _“What’s with the cat photos?”_

“What’s with the cat photos?”

“What?” David—no, it was Washington, he was Agent Washington, code-names only—had heard her, but he was stalling. The locker room had cleared out. The two of them were alone. 

The teams were starting to transition to wearing armor for longer periods with shorter breaks in between as practice for longer missions, so he hadn’t seen everyone’s faces yet. 

This girl—woman–was pretty. Beautiful. Self assured, built like a dancer and strong. She wasn’t South or Connie. Could this be— He straightened up and tried to look competent. 

He never thought Agent Carolina would talk to him personally. 

No, it made sense she would want to talk to him. Team bonding. He’d just been moved up to this squad. It was natural for a leader to take an interest in all members of their team. Now, as to her question. “The cat photos… Ah, is it too much?” 

Between the…Incident… and being recruited to Project Freelancer, David had a little leave and visited his parents and the cats. Not knowing when he might be able to visit again, especially with his upgrade in squad and security level, he’d taken a lot of photos. Maybe he’d gone overboard with the pictures. There were more stored in his hard drive, but he’d tried to pick only a few favorites. 

It had fit in with the lockers on his first squad. Even here, South Dakota had some tasteful and not-so-tasteful pinups in her locker, York had a mirror, Maine had a collection of little figurines that Wash hadn’t gotten a close look at yet and no one had commented on. Everyone seemed to have personal touches, except Connie, but she was a very private person. 

Agent Carolina, leader of the Alpha Squad of Project Freelancer, chuckled. “No. I’m guessing you like cats,” she said. 

“What gave me away?” 

She laughed again. “Alright, Agent Washington who has mysterious cat pictures in his locker.” He tried not to think about how pretty she was. She was his CO and that was totally inappropriate. She had a really warm laugh. Being in armor was so much better. 

“I guess there could be worse things to be known for,” he tried. 

“That’s true. I’ve heard a lot about you, actually.” 

“You have?” The easy feeling and amusement was quickly wiped away from him. Would Agent Carolina have been briefed on everything? They all had scheduled personal interviews and check-ins and tests, the testing never ended, but when it came to team ups and mission planning, she worked with the Director and the Counselor very closely. 

“Yes. I’m impressed,” she finally said. “Welcome to the team.” 

“Thank you, sir—ma’am,” Wash said, trying to cover studying her posture and expression and his suspicion that she knew more about him than she was saying. 

“Sir is fine.” 

“Sure thing, boss.” 

“Or boss,” she laughed. 

He’d heard a lot about Agent Carolina too. South and Connie talked about her with a measure of awe, and it wasn’t easy to impress either of them. 

“I always preferred cats too,” Carolina said, examining his photos. “They don’t just give you their affection, you have to earn it. But once you have it, you can’t get rid of them.” 

“Ari was easy going, Skyler was a little more reticent when I picked her up. But you’re right—“ Wash stopped himself and paused. “Oh, was that a metaphor?” 

“I might have been trying one out. Unsuccessfully.” 

Great. Awkward. Wonderful first impression. “No! -I mean, not unsuccessfully. I was just slow to pick it up—I’m going to just get ready for the test now. I’m better at fighting than conversation.” 

“Hopefully,” she teased. 

…He didn’t know how to respond to that. 

Realizing her joke fell flat, that warm look came back into her eyes. “You wouldn’t have made the team if you were unimpressive, Washington. You’re more than capable. You’re one of the best. And you’re on my team now. _My_ team is the best.” She pointed to the picture of Ari looking put-upon on his old skateboard. “I like this one.” 

*** 

They’d been trying to stay out of armor for longer periods of time now, led by Donut, who wanted to start a nudist colony, and Grif, who had gotten it into his head that that meant they wouldn’t have to do laundry anymore, which made _no sense_. They had compromised with everyone being _mostly_ fully clothed. Donut still got naked far too often. 

It was hardest for Sarge, Wash, and Carolina to adjust to being without armor. Wash felt… bare and vulnerable. Although, oddly enough, the beard helped. 

Wash watched Carolina pace back and forth in a t-shirt and sweatpants in the Blue Base Kimball had built for the teams like a caged animal. Carolina floated between both bases, restless, when she wasn’t training herself 16 hours a day. 

It reminded him of himself when he’d first been taken in by the Blues. Not sure how to feel safe, and not entirely comfortable. Waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under him again. Waiting for more violence. For an attack. For more death. 

“Maybe we should get a cat,” Wash said. 

Carolina stopped prowling. “What?” 

“I’ve always preferred cats. They don’t just give you their affection, you have to earn it. But once you have it, you can’t get rid of them.” 

“What are you _talking_ about?” 

She was a lot more brittle than the self-assured leader she used to be. They both were. They were both a lot older now. Warier. They’d lost so much. 

“We’re cat people,” he continued. “And we have our own herd of cats now. Maybe we should get a real one.” 

She quirked an eyebrow up like ‘are you serious?’ “Wow. You’re still really bad at conversation. _And_ your beard sucks.” 

“I’m better at vacationing than you are.” 

“An enviable skill. I’m sure that’s useful,” Carolina said, blowing a loose strand of red hair out of her face. 

“It is right now. Since we’re on vacation permanently.” 

She opened her mouth for a comeback, couldn’t find one, and crossed her arms. “Your beard is ridiculous.” 

Wash rubbed his chin. “You bring it up so often, I think you actually like it.” 

“No, I don’t. It looks like your theoretical cat is here and already stuck to your face.” 

“…So you’re saying you want to pet my beard?” 

“I think the idiots we’ve been staying with have infected you with their malarkey.” But she stepped up to him and scritched his neck like he was a cat, and Wash pretended to preen. They couldn’t keep straight-faced for long and both started snickering. 

“Alright,” Carolina said. “I understand your _very forced_ metaphor. I’ll …try to relax.” 

Wash clapped her on the shoulder. “Hey, if we didn’t believe you could do it, you wouldn’t be on our team, and our team is the best. You have potential, Carolina.” 

They stood there smirking at each other, Carolina’s hand still resting on Wash’s face. All their friendships and history and the ghosts were still between them, but not keeping them apart. Carolina drifted closer…They were… 

The familiar screeching of their herd of cats fighting drifted from one of the floors below. “ _Oh my god_ , what the fuck! The bases are on fire!” 


End file.
